Who We Are

Minnehaha Creek Watershed District is a local unit of government
responsible for managing and protecting the water resources in
one of the largest and most heavily-used urban watersheds in Minnesota.

The watershed stretches 178-square miles from St. Bonifacius
to south Minneapolis and includes Lake Minnetonka, the
Minneapolis Chain of Lakes, Minnehaha Creek, and Minnehaha
Falls. It includes eight major creeks, 129 lakes, and thousands of
wetlands. Learn more about the watershed.

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Tree Trenches

A tree trench, often known as a "vertical rain garden," is a system that consists of piping for water storage, structural soils and a tree. It manages stormwater runoff and promotes the use of trees in urban areas.

A tree trench holds water after a rain event, providing irrigation for a tree, and preventing stormwater from entering the stormdrain. Trees can also filter out pollutants including heavy metals. Tree trenches can be found locally at the West End shopping area in St. Louis Park.

Urban trees are often replaced far before they can fully benefit the environment. They are often put in spaces that are much too small. Worse yet, they are often unable to benefit from rain water due to poor encasements. Tree trenches solve these problems allowing for trees that can live to maturity.

Benefits of Trees

A mature tree can provide many important benefits including carbon storage and energy absorption. It is useful in stormwater management because its leaves act as a buffer, slowing down the speed of rain as it falls, and absorbing it. Depending on their size, the leaves on trees can catch a significant amount of rainfall.